Method of manufacturing hollow axle shaft for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9630451-B2
Application number	US-201414307898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2014
Priority date	Jun 18, 2014
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A hollow axle shaft for transmitting rotational motion from a prime mover to a wheel of a vehicle comprises an elongated member. The elongated member extends along an axis between a first end and a second end. The hollow axle shaft further comprises a flange at the first end and extending radially away from the axis for receiving the wheel. The flange is integral with the elongated member. A method of manufacturing the hollow axle shaft comprises the step of providing the elongated member comprising a material and defining a bore extending along the axis between the first and second ends, and the step of forming the flange with the material at the first end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing a hollow axle shaft for transmitting rotational motion from a prime mover to a wheel of a vehicle, with the hollow axle shaft including an elongated member extending along an axis between a first end and a second end and defining a bore extending along the axis between the first and second ends, with the hollow axle shaft including a flange at the first end extending radially away from the axis for receiving the wheel, and with the hollow axle shaft including a cap disposed in the bore at the first end; said method comprising the steps of:
providing the elongated member comprising a material and defining the bore;
forming the flange with the material at the first end;
gathering the material at the first end to thicken the material of the elongated member about the axis at the first end; and
inserting the cap into the bore at the first end after the step of gathering the material at the first end.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of gathering the material at the first end to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the first end prior to the step of forming the flange with the material at the first end.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of gathering the material at the first end is further defined as upsetting the first end to thicken the material of the elongated member about the axis at the first end.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein the step of upsetting the first end is further defined as electrically upsetting the first end to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the first end.

5. The method as set forth in claim 2 wherein the step of gathering the material at the first end is performed by radial forging.

6. The method as set forth in claim 5 wherein the step of gathering the material at the first end is performed by radial forging and then upsetting the first end to thicken the material of the elongated member about the axis at the first end.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein the step of upsetting the first end is further defined as electrically upsetting the first end to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the first end.

8. The method as set forth in claim 5 further comprising the step of heating the first end of the elongated member from about 1,200 to 2,300° F. prior to the step of radial forging the first end.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the step of heating the first end of the elongated member from about 1,200 to about 2,300° F. is further defined as heating the first end of the elongated member from about 1,800 to about 2,300° F.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the step of gathering the material at the second end to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the second end.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 further comprising the step of gathering the material at the first end to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the first end prior to the step of forming the flange with the material at the first end.

12. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the step of gathering the material at the second end is performed by radial forging.

13. The method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising the step of heating the second end of the elongated member from about 1,200 to 2,300° F. prior to the step of radial forging the second end.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the step of heating the second end of the elongated member from about 1,200 to about 2,300° F. is further defined as heating the second end of the elongated member from about 1,800 to about 2,300° F.

15. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of inserting the cap in the bore occurs after the step of forming the flange.

16. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of forming the flange is performed by forging the first end.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of forging the flange is performed by horizontally forging the first end.

18. The method as set forth in claim 16 wherein the step of forging the flange is performed by vertically forging the first end.

19. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the hollow axle shaft includes a spline region at the second end and further comprising the step of forming the spline region with the material at the second end.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the step of forming the spline region is performed by forging the second end.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20 wherein the step of forging the spline region is performed by horizontally forging the second end.

22. The method as set forth in claim 20 wherein the step of forging the spline region is performed by vertically forging the second end.

23. The method as set forth in claim 19 wherein the hollow axle shaft includes a plurality of splines at the second end with the splines extending radially away from the axis for coupling the hollow axle shaft to the prime mover and further comprising the step of forming the splines with the spline region at the second end.

24. A method of manufacturing a hollow axle shaft for transmitting rotational motion from a prime mover to a wheel of a vehicle, with the hollow axle shaft including an elongated member extending along an axis between a first end and a second end and defining a bore extending along the axis between the first and second ends, and with the hollow axle shaft including a flange at the first end extending radially away from the axis for receiving the wheel; said method comprising the steps of:
providing the elongated member comprising a material and defining the bore; radial forging the first end to thicken the material of the elongated member about the axis at the first end;
upsetting the second end to thicken the material of the elongated member about the axis at the second end;
forming a spline region with the material at the second end;
electrically upsetting the first end to thicken the material of the elongated member about the axis at the first end; and
forging the first end to form the flange.

25. A method of manufacturing a hollow axle shaft for transmitting rotational motion from a prime mover to a wheel of a vehicle, with the hollow axle shaft including an elongated member extending along an axis between a first end and a second end and defining a bore extending along the axis between the first and second ends, with the hollow axle shaft including a flange at the first end extending radially away from the axis for receiving the wheel, and with the hollow axle shaft including a cap disposed in the bore at the first end; said method comprising the steps of:
providing the elongated member comprising a material and defining the bore;
forming the flange with the material at the first end;
inserting the cap into the bore at the first end;
heating the second end of the elongated member from about 1,200 to 2,300° F.; and
gathering the material at the second end by upsetting the second end, after the step of heating the second end of the elongated member, to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the second end.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25 further comprising the step of gathering the material at the first end to increase a cross-sectional thickness of the material at the first end pr

Assignees

• American Axle & Mfg Inc

Inventors

• Pale John A
• Alexander David I

Classifications

• B21D19/046

  for flanging edges of tubular products · CPC title

• B60B35/12

  Torque-transmitting axles (independent suspension aspects B60G) · CPC title

• B60B35/14 Primary

  composite or split, e.g. half- axles; Couplings between axle parts or sections · CPC title

• B21K21/14

  closed or substantially-closed ends, e.g. cartridge bottoms · CPC title

• B60B2310/208

  by forging · CPC title